Tamper resistant container

Abstract

A tamper resistant thermoformed container having a tray and a lid, where the tray has an inside shelf between the cavity floor and a second shelf that extends to a cavity rim, where the lid has a sealing slot formed to engage the inside shelf of the tray, and where the lid also has a latching tab formed to fit into a matching latching hole on the tray. This structure keeps the lid on the tray by a combination of friction between the lid sealing slot and the tray inside shelf, plus interference between the latching tab and the latching hole.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tamper-resistant container, comprising:
 a tray, made of thermoformed plastic, with a cavity having a cavity floor and a plurality of tray first side walls integrally formed with and extending from the cavity floor, 
 wherein the tray first side walls extend to a first peripheral shelf surrounding at least a portion of the cavity and extending to a plurality of tray second side walls; 
 and wherein the tray second side walls extend to a second peripheral shelf surrounding at least a portion of the cavity and extending to a cavity rim inside wall, the cavity rim inside wall extending to a cavity rim; 
 and 
 a lid, made of thermoformed plastic, with a central portion and a plurality of lid side walls integrally formed with and extending from the central portion; 
 wherein the lid side walls extend to a lid sealing slot surrounding at least a portion of the central portion, wherein the lid sealing slot has a sealing slot first side wall, a sealing slot floor, and a sealing slot second side wall extending to a sealing slot outside flange; and 
 wherein the lid sealing slot is formed to engage the tray with the sealing slot floor against the first peripheral shelf of the tray and the sealing slot second side wall against the second side wall of the tray; and 
 wherein the lid has at least one latching tab and the tray has a latching hole formed to receive the latching tab, whereby the lid can be engaged with the tray by a combination of a friction between the tray and the lid sealing slot and an interference between the latching tab inserted into the latching hole; and 
 wherein the cavity rim inside wall extends outwardly and upwardly from the second peripheral shelf whereby the cavity rim inside wall does not interfere with removal of the lid when the lid is engaged with the tray. 
 
     
     
       2. The tamper-resistant container of  claim 1  wherein at least one latching hole of the tray is adjacent to a tear-off portion. 
     
     
       3. The tamper-resistant container of  claim 1  wherein the cavity rim of the tray includes a cavity rim inside wall and wherein at least a portion of the sealing slot outside flange is formed to extend toward the cavity rim inside wall when the lid is engaged with the tray. 
     
     
       4. The tamper-resistant container of  claim 1  wherein the latching tab includes one or more barbs. 
     
     
       5. The tamper-resistant container of  claim 1  wherein the tray has a plurality of tray corners with at least one latching hole located at a tray corner, and wherein the lid has a plurality of lid corners with at least one latching tab located at a lid corner. 
     
     
       6. The tamper-resistant container of  claim 5  wherein the tray has a single latching hole located at a single tray corner, and the lid has a single latching tab located at a single lid corner.